


Restoration

by ssa_archivist



Category: Smallville
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-11-14
Updated: 2001-11-14
Packaged: 2017-11-01 08:59:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/354684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssa_archivist/pseuds/ssa_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex returns Clark to Smallville, and later has a revelation of his own for his lover.  Sequel to "The Kidnapping"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Restoration

## Restoration

by PepperjackCandy

<http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=86102>

* * *

Title: Restoration  
Author: PepperjackCandy  
Series: Follows "The Kidnapping"   
Archive : <a href=<http://smallville.slashdom.com/> target="_blank">Smallville Slash Archive</a>, my writing at fanfiction.net Rating: PG-13  
Pairing: Clark/Lex  
Category: Established Relationship  
Spoilers for: Minor spoilerette for X-Ray 

Disclaimer: I own nothing Smallville-related, or related in any other way to Clark Kent, Superman or any of the various creations of the wonderful folks at DC Comics, nor do I own any real estate in Chicago, much less the John Hancock Center, or any of the businesses or apartments located therein. I guess I should add that I have nothing against the DVD Consortium or the DVD Forum, either -- they're just a convenient plot device. 

Feedback: Always welcome, either by e-mail or using the review system at fanfiction.net. 

Author's Note: DVD history comes from <a href=<http://www.dvddemystified.com> target="_blank">DVD Demystified</a>

About the title, well, I was looking for a word that encompassed both Lex returning Clark to Smallville, and, well, the revelation of Lex later on. 

* * *

Clark felt so warm, and so comfortable, that at first he thought he was at home in his own bed. But the sunrise never shone so brightly into his own bedroom, and as he gazed at the blank white wall at the foot of the bed, he realized where he was and finally focused on the warm body next to him, wrapped around him. His love. His lover. Lex. 

He turned on his side and rested his head on his hand, watching Lex sleep. Lex, his mature, sophisticated lover, who looked so . . . innocent in sleep. Almost like he was still the nine-year-old child that Clark wished he could remember from what had come so close to being their first meeting. Clark reached out a hand and touched Lex's face gently. 

Lex's eyes fluttered open, taking a moment to focus. "Morning." He said, smiling gently. 

"Good morning." Clark responded, never breaking eye contact. 

Lex lifted his head to Clark's, pushing Clark's head down to his pillow with gentle kisses. "Mmm." Lex said, lifting his head finally. "So, what do you think?" He moved to rest his chin on his crossed forearms as he indicated the panoramic view out the window that acted as headboard. 

Clark mirrored his lover's position. "Wow. I see what you mean about the view. The lake, it just keeps going forever, doesn't it?" 

"Looks that way." Lex grinned. "But actually, it's not all that big. Indiana's just down there," he pointed southeast, "and Michigan's up there." He pointed northeast. 

"And what's that way?" Clark pointed due north. 

"Wisconsin. You didn't pay attention much in geography, did you?" 

Clark shrugged. "I know where Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado and Oklahoma are in relation to Kansas." 

Lex sighed. "We've _got_ to do something about that. I'll have to spirit you away from Smallville more often. We'll go to New York. You'll love New York, especially at Christmas. Though Chicago's nice that time of year, too. And Door County, that's in Wisconsin. And . . . oh, all sorts of places -- Miami, Los Angeles . . ." 

"Lex," Clark interrupted. "Do you think we'll ever really go those places?" 

"Of course we will. We just have to wait until you're on your own, so your folks don't have me arrested for kidnapping, or contributing to the delinquency of a minor, or something." 

"What about your dad? Won't he object?" 

Lex's face darkened. "Yeah. He will. But let's not talk about that right now. There are better times than this to talk about my relationship with my father." 

They lay there in silence, watching the sun rise over the lake. Finally, Lex kissed Clark's bare shoulder. "We should get going. It may be Saturday, but there's no rest for the wicked, as they say." 

Clark gave Lex a smile that brightened the room even more than the rising sun outside did. "I know you're wicked, and I wouldn't have you any other way." 

They kissed, and Lex pulled away reluctantly, standing and kicking off his boxers. "I've got to get you home, too. I'm sure that you have . . . farm chores or something like that to do." 

Clark paused for a moment to appreciate his lover's naked body. "Yeah. There's always plenty to do on the farm." 

"Join me in the shower? Purely in the interest of saving time, of course. One shower takes so much less time than two and all." 

Wordlessly, Clark stood and took off his own underpants, then joined Lex as they walked into the master bathroom together. 

Once Lex had flown him back to Smallville, and dropped him back off at the farm, Clark set immediately to work, so that when his father saw him, he said, "How long've you been back, son?" 

Clark shrugged. "A while," he answered noncommitally. 

"So, did you and Pete have a nice time?" 

"Yeah. We did the usual. Hung out, watched some movies." He was already tired of lying to his dad, but knew that Jonathan would burst a blood vessel if he knew that his only son had just returned from taking a shower with Lex Luthor in his pricey John Hancock Center apartment in Chicago. 

"Did some homework?" Jonathan asked hopefully. 

This he could actually answer truthfully. "Yes, Dad. I got some work done on my history term paper." 

Jonathan looked surprised. "Well, good for you, son." 

Clark breathed a sigh of relief when his father headed back towards the barn. 

He was buried in his chores when he heard another familiar voice intrude. "Clark." 

He looked up with a smile. "Pete! Hey! Thanks for covering for Lex and me last night." 

"No problem. Clark, let me ask you something." 

"Yeah?" 

"Are you and Lex . . ." Uncertain how to phrase the question, Pete left it like that. 

Clark blushed at the question, but couldn't lie to his friend. "Um, yeah." 

"So you're, like, gay?" 

"Er, bi, actually. I think. I mean, I still like girls and all, you know?" 

"Do you . . . like me that way?" 

Clark smiled reassuringly. "No, of course not. You're my best friend, but nothing more." 

"Oh." Pete nodded. Then, as an afterthought, added, "Why not?" 

This time Clark laughed outright. "I don't know. Why don't you think of Chloe that way?" 

Pete shrugged. "I just don't." 

"Well, there's your answer." 

After he finished his chores, Clark climbed into the loft of the barn and took out the lead casket that he'd held onto since Lex had given it to him with Lana's necklace in it. Then he removed the object from his right-hand jeans pocket, as he remembered that morning, when Lex had given it to him. 

They had just been about to leave his John Hancock Center apartment, when Lex stopped to unlock a safe behind a picture in his living room. 

"Let's see if this works." He'd told Clark, as he walked to the front door, using a key to lock and unlock the door. 

He had locked the safe again and handed the key to Clark. "Here's a copy of the key to this apartment. If you ever need to get away from your folks, hide from the law, anything, you can come here." He had said matter-of-factly. 

Clark had been stunned by the offer, and had taken the key in numb fingers. "Thank you, Lex." 

"No problem. This place stays empty so much, it'll be nice to know that someone else will have use of it occasionally." Lex had shrugged nonchalantly. 

Clark looked down at the key, feeling its weight in his hand, both physically and metaphorically. {Exchanging keys is almost . . . a commitment.} One part of his brain told him. {Right. A commitment. Dream on, Kent. This is his disused apartment in Chicago. Now, if he offered you a key to Luthor Manor . . .} He stopped that thought before it even began. 

"Clark?" His mother's voice came up the ladder. "You up there?" 

Clark hastily threw the key into the casket and stashed the casket away. "Yeah. I'm up here." He responded, hoping his voice didn't crack. 

Martha ascended the ladder. "What's wrong, son?" She asked once she'd reached the loft. 

"Nothing." He responded hastily. "Why?" 

She walked over to where he sat and ran a motherly hand through his hair, bringing her palm to rest against his cheek. "You've just been so distant for the past few weeks." 

He shrugged. "I'm a teenager. We do that." He said with wry humor. 

She laughed. "I guess you do. Well, lunch is on. You want to come and eat, or stay here and be distant?" 

He laughed, as well. "I'll come." He said, standing and following his mother down the ladder. 

She took his hand in hers as they walked back to the house. "Is it . . . girl trouble?" She asked earnestly. "Because if it is . . ." 

{How can I tell her? How could I ever look her in the eye again, if she knew that for the past month and a half, Lex Luthor and I have been lovers?} Clark wondered silently. "No, Ma. It's not girl trouble. It's just, you know, stuff." 

"All right. Is it something you can talk to Pete and Chloe about at least?" 

Clark nodded, grateful that Pete was in on the secret. "Yeah. I have been talking to them about it." He assured her. 

That seemed to satisfy his mother. "Good." She nodded. "Just as long as you have someone you can talk to." 

That night, after his parents were in bed, Clark slipped out of the house and headed for Lex's mansion. He no longer needed to sneak in, but still slipped through the bars of the gate out of force of habit. He tried the doorknob, which was unlocked, and walked into the castle. "Lex?" He called out. 

"In here." He heard his lover's voice respond flatly. 

He followed the sound of Lex's voice to a room he'd never been in before, with a state-of-the-art home theater taking up one wall. "So this stuff finally made it here from Metropolis?" He asked by way of conversation. 

Lex looked at him flatly. "No, Clark. This has always been here." 

"Then why don't you use it?" 

"Come here and sit down." Lex did not sound like himself. 

Clark did as his lover bade, and watched Lex rub the side of his head, like he had a headache. 

"Are you all right?" He asked. 

"No, Clark, I'm not all right. I need to talk to you about something." 

He shifted his position to face Clark, taking both of Clark's hands in his. "I've been . . . well, not exactly lying to you, but . . ." 

"Yes?" 

Lex sighed. "For the last seven months, I've been investigating you." 

"What?!?" 

"I _know_ I hit you with my car, Clark. Argue all you want about it, but physics doesn't lie. The dents in my car, well, aside from the ones made by the guardrails, are completely consistent with an impact with a human body." 

"Lex - I - " 

"Not only that, but there's a hole in my windshield where your head hit it." Lex concluded. 

Clark, unsure what to say, didn't say anything. He just looked at Lex for a minute, then turned his head so he was staring at his feet. 

"But there's a reason for me to investigate you, Clark. A good one." 

Clark snorted. 

"I'm being as honest with you as I can." 

Clark turned his head and had to steel himself against the raw sincerity in Lex's eyes. "What 'good reason' do you have?" He asked. 

"I . . . I think. No. I _know_ that I love you." 

These were the last words Clark expected to hear. "You . . ." 

"I've only loved four people in my life, Clark. My mother, my sister, you. . . and one other." 

He stood and began pacing the floor. "What do you know about DVDs, Clark?" 

"Not much. They release movies on them, with extras, like commentary from the director and things . . ." 

Lex sighed. "Have you ever heard the story that they were invented by a consortium of ten companies settling a dispute over development of a non-degrading optical medium . . . " His voice faded. "None of this means anything to you, does it?" 

Clark shook his head. "No." 

"Well, it's all a lie. A PR spin developed by Luthor Corp to cover up another of my daddy's dirty little secrets." 

"What? Why?" 

Lex's pacing had taken him to a table, where he picked up a flat silver disk. He lightly tossed it to Clark, who caught it neatly. "You hold in your hands the first DVD ever made. Don't look so impressed, Clark." 

Clark, who had indeed begun to look impressed, forced his features back to interest in what Lex was saying. 

"What do the initials DVD stand for?" Lex asked. 

"Digital . . . Video . . . Disk?" 

Lex shrugged. "Could be. But in the original Luthor Corp project, they originally stood for Daniel Van Drunen. Have fun watching. It'll answer your questions." Then without looking back, Lex left the room and closed the door behind him. 

Clark weighed the disk in his hands, turning it, studying it, and finally he put it in the DVD player and turned the TV on. 

The home theater was every bit as exquisite as he'd expected it to be. It was just a pity the subject matter didn't match the quality of its medium. Clark watched as a car winding along a mountain road took a sharp turn relatively quickly, then suddenly spun out of control and plunged down the mountain. It didn't burst into flame like cars do in movies, which made it all the more obvious to Clark that what he'd watched was a real wreck, not Hollywood special effects. 

Numb, Clark turned the television off and stepped out into the hallway. Lex wasn't there. 

"Lex?" He called softly. 

There was no response, but with his heightened hearing, he could hear someone walking around outside - an agitated, pacing, scuffling sound. He took a chance and walked to the front door. 

There Lex was, walking back and forth, his breath coming from him in puffs in the early spring night as he paced. "So, did you enjoy it?" He asked without inflection. 

"Lex? What was that?" 

"Those were the last moments of the life of Daniel Van Drunen. My first love. Until you, my only love." 

Clark hurried to Lex, enfolding him in his arms. "My God, Lex. What happened?" 

"My dad. He developed an entire . . . an entire recording medium, just to be able to make a perfect, non-degrading recording of it, so I could watch Dan die." 

Clark's hold on Lex tightened. The only part of Clark's brain that was still functioning rationally hoped he wasn't hurting his lover. But he knew he wasn't when Lex burrowed further into Clark's embrace. 

"Now you know." Lex said, his eyes filled with unshed tears. "Why I had you investigated. The only reason I let myself fall for you, pursue this thing with you, was because of that investigation. I don't know why, I don't know how, but I know one thing. I won't lose you like I lost . . ." Lex's voice cracked as he finally broke down. 

Clark held Lex, feeling both lost and found at once. Suddenly, Lex was the child, and he was the adult, giving what comfort and security he could, until dawn broke. 


End file.
